The jungles of the planet Ver Day were unforgiving to natives--and death for offworlders. Sled-hauler Sal banks didn't like to have to depend on anyone or anything, but she needed extra muscle to pull a sled on her next cargo run, so she hired Meesha Raschad first and found out he was an offworlder second. Then she was stuck with a heavy cargo load, a late start, and a dangerously inexperienced newbie for a partner. Meanwhile, the govies were trying to make them forfeit the run, for no reason Sal could fdigure. But it had something to do with Raschad--who pulled hard and kept his troubles to himself. Which would have worked fine, except that those troubles soon followed him to the dangers of isolated Tumble Town...